Transcript Slide 1

Introduction to the UCAS
process, and going to
University
A Guide for Parents
Why University?
The Challenge
• There are over 50,000 fulltime undergraduate courses
on offer in the UK.
• Not all subjects are taught at
every university and the
curriculum in one subject
• Confusing
Choices
• The challenge is twofold:
Which
subject/course
should I study?
At which
university
should I study?
Support from the College
• Core pastoral programme
• External speakers from universities and HE
advisors
• UCAS Educational Fair
• Visit to Universities
• Ambition to Reality Week
• One 2 One support from Tutors and Subject
Teachers
• Subject specific outreach
Which Subject?
• Entry Profiles
• Employment Opportunities
• Admission Tests
• Costs
• Popularity
How you can help
Discuss the following with your son/daughter:
• Is the subject they are considering likely to suit
them?
• Are they likely to be successful in this subject?
• How employable you will they be when they
graduate?
• Are they on the right route to qualify for a chosen
profession?
• How easy or difficult it is to get on to the course?
• What is the Course content?
Prospects (2009)
Subject
Employed in
graduate
job
Employed in
graduate
job and
studying
Employed in
nongraduat
e job
Employed in nongraduate job
and studying
Studying and
not
employe
d
Unemployed
Medicine
87%
6%
0%
0%
6%
0%
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
68%
17%
4%
0%
9%
2%
Civil Engineering
72%
11%
7%
0%
7%
4%
Education
64%
5%
16%
2%
10%
4%
Mathematics
34%
13%
18%
3%
26%
6%
French
40%
5%
26%
3%
22%
5%
Geography
34%
5%
30%
3%
22%
6%
Politics
35%
5%
29%
4%
20%
8%
English
29%
3%
33%
5%
23%
7%
History
27%
4%
34%
4%
24%
7%
Art & Design
43%
3%
33%
4%
7%
10%
Psychology
29%
5%
38%
5%
17%
6%
Communication & Media
41%
3%
39%
3%
6%
8%
Drama, Dance & Cinematic
37%
4%
37%
4%
9%
9%
Sociology
30%
4%
41%
4%
15%
7%
All Subjects
43%
6%
26%
3%
16%
7%
What do graduates earn
(2009)
Medicine
£30,492
English
£17,824
Economics
£24,466
Iberian Languages
£17,704
Veterinary Medicine
£23,437
Sociology
£17,685
Physics & Astronomy
£22,612
Architecture
£17,681
Social Work
£22,560
Hospitality, Recreation, Sport & Tourism
£17,474
Engineering
£22,497
Linguistics
£17,441
Mathematics
£21,751
Psychology
£17,374
Computer Science
£20,942
Archaeology
£17,209
Politics
£20,423
Agriculture & Forestry
£17,099
Business Studies
£20,059
Communication & Media Studies
£16,965
Classics & Ancient History
£19,938
Art & Design
£16,718
Accounting & Finance
£19,713
Music
£16,690
Education
£19,569
Drama, Dance & Cinematics
£16,420
Top Unis/Departments
• Universities are ranked in
publications like The
Times and The Guardian
• Further information is
available on websites like
www.studentbook.org
www.push.co.uk
www.unistats.com
Course Content
• There is no national standard for what
universities include in university courses.
Course Content
• Large numbers of students each
year find themselves on courses
that differ wildly from their
expectations
• Courses vary not only in their
content and approach, but also
in their teaching and assessment
methods.
Approximately 10% of students
drop out of university within
the first year!!!
They still need to pay…
Climate
• Things are tougher
Step 1: Where should I study?
• Living at home?
• Makes choosing a university will be less
bewildering.
• Away from home, where?
• Near home or go exploring and make that
move to Plymouth or Aberdeen.
• Also remember the costs involved in
travelling long distances
Good Universities Guide says…
"Most people choose a university between
one and two hours away from home.
Close enough to pop back to see friends
and get the washing done, but not so
close that your parents can just drop in.
That's why Leeds, Manchester and
Nottingham are so popular, they are very
close to major centres of population."
Step 2: Where will you get in?
• Be realistic - if you're child is predicted CCD
and got three Cs at AS, they are not getting
into Cambridge, however much they like
rowing.
• Then start using www.ucas.com to narrow
your choices.
University offer is based on your AS Level
results!
UCAS Tariff
GCE AS
GCE
BTEC Nat
A level
Award
A
D
B
C
A
100
M
D
80
60
B
C
120
50
E
P
40
D
30
E
20
How many points do you predict you will have by the
end of year 13, be ambitious, but realistic!!!
Step 3: Somewhere you'll enjoy
•
You have already narrowed your choice down
quite a lot.
• Now you need to work out which of the
available courses is going to suit you
personally.
• The decision is life-changing.
Three myths about choosing a university:
1. You'll have a good time wherever you go.
2. There is a best university for each subject.
3. Universities don't vary that much.
Push University Guide says…
"For some people the most important thing is
cheap accommodation for others it is the
atmosphere in the student bar," he says. "If you
are doing medicine you are very likely to get a
job at the end of the course, but for a sociologist
the employability record is far more important."
Step 4: Going to visit
"You wouldn't dream of buying a pair of shoes
without trying them on.
Yet people are willing to buy three years of
teaching for £50k without having a look at
the place."
• We encourage students to visit universities,
but only authorise 2 days absence, the rest
should be done on weekends or during
breaks.
Tuition fees
• It is estimated that a degree will cost £50K
• £9000 per year in fees
• £8000 in loans
• Students currently in receipt of the bursary
are likely to receive some grants.
Money to live on
• How much you need to live on depends on
where you study (eg. Bradford is cheaper than
London).
• Your personal life choices (a single room with
ensuite bathroom will cost more than a shared
room with only a basin).
Choosing Your FIVE
• The UCAS application process only allows you
to apply to 5 universities.
• Carefully, and realistically chose your 5
A suggestion might be:
• 2x in line with predicted grades
• 2x in line with aspirational grades
• 1x fall back, in case you don’t get the grades you
want.
www.ucas.com
• Herein lies all information
• It will become the best friend to your son
or daughter during Year 13
• You should get to know it too, there is a
section for parents/careers.
UCAS application
1. Personal Information – Name, DOB etc
2. Additional information – Ethnicity,
Immigration status etc.
3. Choices – 5x Choices
4. Education –GCSE or equivalent (certs?)
5. Employment – Full or Part time
6. Personal Statement – “Why do you
want to study…”
7. Reference – Completed by tutors.
Timeline
3rd June-July 2013 – University Progression
• September 2013 Application processing begins.
• 15 October 2013 Last date for receipt of applications to
Oxford, Cambridge and Medicine etc.
• 15 January 2014 Deadline for applications from UK and
EU students to be guaranteed consideration.
• 31 March 2014 Universities and colleges should aim to
have sent decisions on all applications received by 15
January.
Useful Websites
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www.unistats.com
www.independent.co.uk
www.timesonline.co.uk
www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk
www.ucas.com
www.push.co.uk
www.studentbook.org
www.opendays.com
www.purepotential.org
www.uni360.com
Worrying terms teachers have used to describe
Year 12 students to me in the past two weeks.
“Delusional”
“Will fail unless…”
“Lazy”
“Going Backwards”
“Unfocused”
“Drifting”
“Not going to pass”
“Frustrating”
“Hardly ever here”
“Making no progress”
Work Harder!
• Minimum commitment 40x hours of focused,
concentrated work, every week.
• For every 5 hours in lessons, at least 5 hours
outside lessons.
Hard work pays off.
Don’t leave it until the last
minute.
No January re-takes,
it’s a one stop shop
Students can’t afford to slip
up!!
?